An Account of Simprin, Berwickshire, by Jas. Hardy. 309 



theology, and occasioned a violent controversy, and those who adopted its 

 views were called " Marrow-men." The circumstances of its origin at Sim- 

 prin are worth knowing. Boston' s first sacrament at Simprin, on the 2nd of 

 August, 1700, was administered in the kirk, hut thereafter and except in 

 winter, it was " celebrated without doors." Simprin large barn appears from 

 his Session Records to have been used regularly by him upon sacramental 

 and other extraordinary occasions.* He preached his farewell sermon out 

 of one of the barn doors, to a great multitude of people. His winter-com- 

 munions, he reckoned his " halcyon days,' and intercourse with those worthy 

 Christian people he gathered round him, must have greatly refreshed him ; 

 for the Merse, in his estimation, was " then an overgrown piece of the vine- 

 yard.'' It is said that the people at this time were very wild and irregular. 

 In a homely elegy on Boston's death, he is represented as "a rose upon a 

 thorn," blooming as it were, amidst a brake of brambles and thorns, f Mr 

 Boston was translated to Ettrick, March 6th, 1707. His " Fourfold State, 

 and his many other writings, which gained a general acceptance throughout 

 Scotland, were then unwritten. J The Session Register of Simprin, com- 

 menced 21st September, 1699, the day of Mr Boston's ordination, and con- 

 tinued during his incumbency, is still in preservation, and is wholly in his 

 own handwriting. § 



10 James Allan, a near relation of Professor John Simson of Glasgow, 

 -■-(that Professor Simson whose unsound utterances kept the General 

 Assemblies in a ferment from 1715 to 1729,) — studied in the University of 

 Glasgow ; was licensed by the Presbytery of Dunse ; called to Simprin, July 

 10th, and ordained Sept 23rd, 1707 ; and translated to Eyemouth, Feb. 28th, 

 1716 



11 James Chrystie, A.M., graduated at the University of Edinburgh, 

 April 2nd, 1705 ; and was licensed by the Presbytery of Kelso, March 27th, 

 1712. He was presented to the 2nd charge in Dunfermline in Sept. 1716; 

 but being called to Simprin in October he was presented by the Presbytery, 

 jure devoluto, on the 6th November following, and ordained the 19th March, 

 1717. He was presented a second time to Dunfermline in October, 1717, but 

 owing to the opposition entertained against him the call was set aside by the 

 Commission of Assembly in March, 1718. On May 14th, 1722, he preached 

 before the Assembly. || Mr Wodrow says he was a " youth of a very good 

 character.1T" He was presented by the Duke of Roxburghe to Morebattle in 

 1723 " The heritors were for him ; all the elders but one were against him ; 

 the people were mobbish and irregular, and thus it continued for a year. 

 Thirty heads of families and heritors petitioned for him, and he was trans - 

 ported by the Presbytery of Chirnside, At the serving of the edict, there 

 was another mob ; and at his settlement a still greater ' He was admitted 



* New Stat- Acct. of Berwickshire, p 192, note. 



f George Henderson. 



% See Memoirs of the Life, Time, and Writings of the Reverend and Learned 



Thomas Boston, A.M. The Edition quoted is that of Berwick, 1805. 



§ New Stat Acct , p 192. 



|| Wodrow' s Correspondence, ii , p 664 IT lb. iii., p. 203. 



